Improvement in bath-tubs



C. A. BLESSING.

BATH-NBS. 'N0.17z,6oo. Patented Jan. 25,'1876.

'UNITED STATES QPATEINT EGF-Fica.

CHARLES. A. BLEssrNe, or .PH1LADELPHA, rENNsYLvANrA;

IMPROVEMENTIN BATH-TUBS,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,600, dated January 25, 1876; application filed May 5, 1815.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BLEssINe, of the city of 2|?hiladelphiaJ and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Bath-Tubs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and theletters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal sectional view of my improvement. My invention relates to that class of bathtubs in which the discharge-orifice is designed to perform the function both of the overow and discharge.

The nature of my invention consists in securing to the foot-piece ofthe bath-tub a hollow cylindrical plate or bearin g, vin which rests and operates a hollow egg-shaped ball. To the bottom of this ball is attacheda chain or cord, to which is fastened the plug which ts in the discharge-oricc. The great advantage of this arrangement is that it furnishes an automatic device simple in construction, by means of which the over-How may be provided for, while it not only saves the expense of employing an extra pipe to carry ott' the surfacewater, but also the expense of connecting this extra pipe with the discharge, and the whole arrangement can be located in the bath-tub without in any manner interfering with the comfort or convenience of the person bathing.

^ The construction and operation of my invention are as follows: A is the bath-tub, which is constructed in the usual manner. To the foot-piece B is attached, by means of the shank c, the hollow cylindrical plate or bearing C. Preferably this plate may be cast and the shank c have screw-threads cut thereon. The plate will then be attached to the footpiece B by screwing the shank c into holes cut therein. This plate C is secured to the footpiece B at the same distance from the top of the bath-tub as is now usually located the overflow-orilice, and extends sufficiently far into the bath-tub to bring the center of the plate or bearing on a true vertical line with the center of the discharge-oriiioe G. This plate C, as shown in the drawing, is represented as being permanently secured to the foot-piece B; but instead the shank c may be made to slide up and down in a groove formed on or in the foot-piece and fastened at any desired point by means of a set-screw, so that the plate and ball vmay be raised or lowered, as occasion may require, andthe quantity of water to be held in the bath-tub may be increased or diminished. Vhen this is done, of course the cord or chain Eis either lengthened or shortened. D is a hollow egg-shaped sphere or ball, constructed out of any suitable material that will readily Hoat in water, and having its upper section D1 dome-shaped and its lower section D? elongated. The object of elongating the section D2 of the ball is that no matter how great the pressure of the excess of water may be when the ball is raised this elongated section will prevent it from being thrown out of the hollow plate or bearing C. This ball D is formed with a flange, d', extending around the same, and connecting the two sections D1 D2, said flange, when the discharge-orice isclosed, resting on the plate or bearing C. To the center of the bottom of the section D2 of the ball' D is attached one end of a chain or cord, E, the other end being fastened to the plug G that closes the discharge-opening G. F is a guide-rod, which is attached to the foot-piece B below the plate or bearing C, and is formed with an openlng, j', at its outer end, through which passes the chain E. The main object of this guide-rod F is to prevent the chain from being thrown so far out of a true vertical line, should the feet of the bather come in contacttherewith, as to prevent the plug G from falling into its seat in the discharge-orifice G', when the excess of water passes out and the hall has fallen into its place in the plate C. Should the chain not be interfered with in this manner the pressure of the water would be sufficient to keep it in its proper position, and the guide-rod could therefore be dispensed with. B is a rod, attached to the upper section of the foot-piece, and is formed with a small hook, b, at its outer end, upon which the ball D and its attachments are suspended by means of the loop d, when it is desired to raise the plug G to let the water out of the tub. G is the discharge-orifice, which is located in the bottom of the tub and near to the foot-piece B, so that when the water is discharged none shall collect aml reln ai'n between the opening G' and. the foot-piece, as is now" usu'lly the' case..

The operation is as follows: After a sufl-y cient amount of water is let ow into the bathtub, if the water is still allowed to run, when the pressure of theuweter is sucient to over D will be caused to raise, and by means of the chain E to lift up the .plug Gj, thusopening the discharge-orice G'. This oiiiice will continue opened until the excess of Water is reduced., when the ball .Willfall into its Aplatee in the plus@ of been@ c, ceasing che plug' G to rest in its seat in the orifice G.

What I claim ztsnew, and desire to secure by Lete'rfsPuteit of the UnitedStates, is-` In a, bthltub, an egg-shaped ball, D, plate C, chain E, and plug G, with or Without the guide-rod F, the Whole constructed and arl iranged to .operate substantially als described. come the weight f' the' plug and' lll', the bill' f In" testioliy vh'er'of I have" signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

C. A. BLESSING. Witnesses EDWIN JMS, E. J. MmDLEToN, Jr. 

